As classes begin to wind down, clubs and departments are revving up for next year with their new student board and officer elections. The fine arts department, specifically theatre, the Reveliers, and choir, have either already chosen or are soon announcing their 2021-2022 lineup. 

“With a team of 70+ people, there are a lot of jobs and behind the scenes work that are too much for one or two directors, so the officer lines are there to do what they can to provide a team member’s input and lead the Reveliers as the bridge between the line members and directors,” Reveliers Major Caitlin Harwood.

The Reveliers have two facets of their student board. Line officers this year needed to teach and choreograph a dance if they tried out for major or teach an across-the-floor combination if they tried out for Junior Lieutenant. then they all needed to perform a dance for the judges. 

“I think that each role can be challenging in its own way and it really depends on where your strengths lie and what you hope to accomplish with that position,” Harwood said. 

Social officer candidates were all required to do a project where they explain all of the team events throughout the year to a new member, complete a trifold board presenting their ideas, and set up a table showcasing their ideas for the team. All officers, line and social, took a test over the team constitution and had an individual interview with the judges.

“Officers act as role models for the team to look to for advice, help, and model what it means to be a Revelier,” Reveliers President Ellie Tuller said. “They represent the organization as leaders hence officers are taught that they are always carrying the Revelier reputation even when we are not in College Park or in uniform.” 

Theatre board consists of a president followed by all other members of the board that work to run the department’s various clubs and social events. Applications are due by May 3rd, then, after school on May 4th, there is a meeting to give speeches for those who applied. The department casts their votes for the candidates they found the most promising. Using that information and the application sheets, department directors, Chris Beineman, Valerie Labonski, and Kara Zellar, discuss who will be on the board. 

“Having an officer board helps set up a student-led program,” Theatre President Austin Luchak said. “If we let students be the ones to reach out to one another, our program will be built up much stronger than if it were just the directors.”

Similar to the theatre board process, the process for electing and placing officers in choir consists of officer applications that go up, and they are reviewed by the department directors. Mrs. Bodhaine and Mr. Doerries then choose who would be the best fit for each job and those new officer get announced at banquet. 

“Having an officer board for our department is important in order to keep the balance in our program,” Choir President, Brianna Reed said. “Our directors are so busy with everything that goes on throughout the year that they need officers who love choir just as much as they do  to come up with new, fun innovating events that we can do to come relax from the choir realm.”